Safety zone guard



y 1934- v R. CALLAGHAN 1,959,568

SAFETY ZONE GUARD Filed Dec. 14, 1931 5 fl 2 5/ 2 wwvy w ww/v W "WE/Wm Patented May 22, 1934 UNi'lEi STATEfi egress 1 Claim.

My invention relates to improvements in safety zone guards.

One of the objects of my invention is to pror vide a novel safety zone guard which will afford a maximum of protection to the occupants of a safety zone from passing automobiles, and which at the same time will not be liable to cause injury to the occupant or occupants of a car which it prevents from entering the zone, and which transgressing car.

A further object of my invention is to provide a novel safety zone guard which is relatively in- F expensive, strong, durable, not liable to being damaged, which will preliminarily give the driver of a transgressing car warning, and which is efficient in its operation.

I filed on December 21, 1931 an application for a patent for improvements in safety zone guards,

- having Serial Number 582,365, which disclosed subject matter herein shown but not claimed herein.

The novel features of my invention are hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates the preferred embodiment of my invention,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of my improved safety zone guard shown in operative relation to a safety zone, which is partly broken away.

" Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, the underlying pavement being shown in vertical section.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on the line 33 of Fig. 1, distant parts being omitted.

Fig. 4 is a rear end elevation of the bulwark.

Similar characters of reference designate similar parts in the different views.

1 designates an ordinary raised cement safety zone platform, rearwardly of which, relative to the direction of flow of oncoming traffic, is placed my improved guard, which at its rearwardmost end is, preferably, provided with signalling means to warn the driver of an approaching car that he is about to run into a safety zone.

Such signalling means, in the form shown, comprises the usual rounded buttons 2 fastened on the pavement 3 above which they project, the buttons being preferably arranged in transverse rows in the form of a triangle having its apex disposed rearwardly or facing oncoming traffic,

the buttons of each row, excepting those in the front row being disposed in longitudinal lines passing respectively between the buttons of the row next ahead.

The buttons 2 by jarring the transgressing car will effect a minimum, if any, damage to the will warn the driver thereof that he is about'to drive through a safety zone, so that he may apply his brakes. The arrangement of the buttons will have a tendency to throw sidewise the front wheel which strikes them and swerve the car from straight forward movement.

Embedded in the pavement 3 is a horizontal rectangular frame 4, the upper edge of which is, preferably, flush with the surface of the pavement which fills the interior of the frame. The front row of buttons 2 is preferably close to the rear end of the base frame 4.

For guiding a car, which has passed over the buttons 2, to the right, means are provided for engaging and guiding diagonally forwardly to the right the wheels of the car. Such means, as shown, comprises parallel horizontal guiding bars 5 fastened to the upper side of the frame 4 projecting upwardly from the pavement at right angles thereto. The bars extend obliquely to the right forwardly in the direction of flow of oncoming traflic, and are spaced to admit and guide between them the wheels of the transgressing The rearward ends of the guiding bars 5 are disposed respectively in longitudinal alinement with the buttons 2 of the forwardmost row, so that wheels passing between the buttons of the said row will enter between the bars 5.

With the provision of the bars 5 which extend 8 continuously for their full lengths in one direction and without any lateral variations, the wheels of an oncoming car diverted by the bars will, after the first contact with the bars, continue in the course to which they have been 9 diverted by the bars with a minimum of resistance from the bars and without further diversion therefrom.

For stopping a car before it reaches the zone 1, in case that due to its speed it shall have passed the guide rails 5, there is provided forwardly of, and preferably spaced from the forwardmost bar 5, spaced longitudinal parallel bars 6 upwardly and forwardly inclined and adapted to slidingly support the axles of the car. The rearward ends of the bars 6 are fastened to a cross bar 7 of the frame 4, and the forward portions of the bars are bent downwardly and have their lower ends fastened to the front end of the frame 4.

The bars 6 are relatively heavy and strong being adapted to slidingly support the axles of a transgressing car, and are spaced to permit the passage between them of the car wheels. The front end of this bulwark, composed of the bars 6, is spaced from the rear end of the zone 1, so that when a car, having momentum enough to carry the front axle over the rear end of the bulwark, has its forward end drop off from the bulwark, the front wheels will strike the rear end of the cement zone 1. Unless, however, a car is moving at very great speed, the inclination and rise of the bulwark bars 6 will be sufficient to stop the car before it reaches the rear end of the bulwark.

The buttons 2 may be provided with the usual light signals, not shown.

To prevent possible puncture thereby of the tires of a vehicle, the forward and rear ends ofthe diagonal bars 5 are downwardly tapered as shown in the drawing, so as to present no abrupt projections which might tear tires striking them, the object of this invention being to divert a transgressing car, or to stop it from entering the zone without causing injury to the driver or occupants of the car or to the car itself.

In the operation of the invention, a car coming toward the zone will have its wheels strike the buttons 2, thereby signalling the driver that he is about to pass onto a safety zone. The wheels of the car, if they pass the buttons 2, will enter between the diagonal bars 5 and will be guided to the right, in most cases so that the car will be diverted and not run onto the inclined bulwark bars 6. If, due to the impetus of the car, it runs over the bars 5 and onto the inclined bars 6, it will generally stop before it passes off from the forward end of the bars.

The axles of the car slide upwardly on the bars 6, and the wheels pass between the bars as the car advances. Should the car pass over the front ends of the bars 6, the forward end of the car will drop and the front wheels will enter the space between the front ends of the bars 6 and the rear end of the zone 1 and will strike and be stopped by the rearwardmost edge of the zone platform.

With the use of my improved guard the occupants of the safety zone will be afforded protection, and a minimum of injury inflicted upon transgressing cars and their occupants.

I do not limit my invention to the structure shown and described, as many modifications, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:-

A safety zone guard adapted to be positioned between a safety zone platform and oncoming traffic and comprising spaced apart straight parallel bars disposed substantially parallel with and projecting above the pavement and extending forwardly obliquely relatively to the direction of flow of oncoming trafiic, and adapted to admit between them and guide obliquely forwardly the wheels of cars driving onto the guard and thereby divert the cars from the safety zone platform.

RICHARD CALLAGHAN. 

